Knitting machine needle



Nov. 1,1932. R. K. MILLS KNITTING MACHINE NEEDLE 2 sh eetssheet.

Filed Aug. 19. 1931 Nov. 1, 1932. R. K. MILLS KNITTING MACHINE NEEDLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 19. 1951 Patented Nov. 1, 1932 irsn srra mmr- ROBERT KIRKLAND MILLS, OF $21 KNITTING are CHINE NEEDLE Application filed August 19, 1931, Serial N'o. 558,155, and in Great Britain August 20, .1930.

This invention comprises improvements in the means for and method of producing knitted fabrics and has particular, although not exclusive, reference to the production of a knitted fabric of the type set forth in the specification of prior application No. 419,228, which fabric is locked against roving or laddering by passing predetermined or selected of the intermeshing thread loops through and also closely around other loops.

. According to the present invention a needle for use in the production of knitted fabrics is provided with a pivoted latchwhich h as two open positions, one wherein the free end or tip thereof is maintained spaced from the needleshank or stem so as to permit free passage of thread beneath said latch and a second wherein said latch end or tip coacts with the shank so as to permit of a thread loop being passed from the shank over said open latch.

"The needle latch may be either flexible or inflexible. In the former case when the flexible or resilient latch is in the normal open position same is spaced at its tip from the needle shank but is adapted to be pressed against its own resilience so that said tip engages a recess or groove in the shank and prevents the passage of thread between .the tip and said shank.

Where the pivoted latch is of an inflexible or rigid character, same is spaced at its tip from the needle shank when in the normal open position in a similar manner to the flexible or resilient latch said inflexible or rigid latch when in the second open position, (i. e. fully open) coacting at its tip with a recess in the needle shank and providing between said open latch and shank an enclosed space within which thread fed therein is freely accommodated.

A needle as above with pivoted latch either resilient or rigid is applicable for the production of locked or ti d knitted stitches and also of normal or untied stitches; and to this end the invention includes means whereby when a locked stitch is being produced, thread is fed beneath the latch and the open latch pressed or moved to a position wherein its tip engages with the needle shank and accommodates said thread between said open latch and said shank, and also means whereby when a normal stitch is being produced the thread is fed into the needle hook and the latch operates in the customary manner.

Needles as above can be employed in any customary or existing type of knitting machine, and where such needles are employed the needle-operating cam mechanism is so designed that at predetermined intervals said needles are projected to an extent to permit feeding of the thread within the needle hooks to produce ordinary knitted stitches and at other predetermined intervals to project the needles to an extent sufficient to permit of the thread being fed below the tip of the open latchesand produce tied stitches.

For the purpose of more fully describing the nature of this invention reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figures 1 to 4 illustrate four successive steps in the production of a locked or tied knitted stitch by the employment of a needle having a flexible latch.

Figure 5 illustrates diagrammaticallyan arrangement of knitting cams suitable for producing in succession normal or untied. stitches and locked or tied stitches.

Figure 6 is a detail view in plan illustrating means applicable to a circular knitting machine for operating the needle latch pressers.

Figure 7 is an elevational View ofFigure 6.

Figures 8 to 11 illustrate four successive steps in the production of a locked or tied knitted stitch by the employment of a needle having an inflexible or rigid pivoted latch.

In one method of carrying out the invention a needle 1 is provided having a pivoted latch 2 which in the normal open position projects out from the needle shank, said latch being flexible or resilient so as to permit of the tip or free end 2a thereof being pressed into a recess or roove 1a formed in the Shit k. That part of the shank provided with the recess may, if desired, be thickened or increased in width in side elevation in a some what similar manner to the part accommodating the latch pivot, and the construction is such that when the latch 2 is open and the tip 2a thereof pressed into the recess la a space exists between the centre portion of the latch and the shank for accommodating a thread or threads. When the latch is in the closed position the tip thereof coacts with the needle hook 3 in the customary manner.

In the process of knitting a locked or tied stitch, the needle constructed as above is raised or projected to an extent suflicient to clear the existing thread loop a thereon be neath the recess M for accommodating the latch tip 2a, and new thread 6 is fed below the latch 2 as shown in Figure 1. During the downward movement or retraction of the needle a presser 4 is brought into operation to press the latch tip 2a into the recess 1a in the shank as in Figure 2 and permit of the existing loop a passing over the latch 2 into the needle hook 3, the newly fed thread meanwhile being retained beneath the latch, as in Figure 3. The continued downward movement of the needle causes the loop of new thread Z) to raise and close the latch, and said loop becomes cast off while the old loop a is still retained in the needle hook. In this way the loop 6 of new thread is first drawn through the old loop a and then passed closely around same so as to become tied thereon, as will be seen by referring to Figure 4.

In the production of a normal or untied knitted stitch the needle 1 is only raised sufficiently to clear the old loop as below the latch 2 and to enable the new thread 2) to be fed into the needle hook 3, the aforesaid latchpressing means 4 being retained out of operation and the stitch being produced in the customary manner.

The different degrees of motion required to be imparted to the needles be effected by incorporating in a knitting machine two different types of needle-operating cams, one cam functioning to displace the needles to an extent sufficient to move the tip of the latch above the feeding thread and another cam functioning to displace the needles to an extent sufficient to receive the newly fed thread within the hook.

For example, in a circular knitting machine two needle-operating cam devices such as shown in Figure 5 may be employed, the one cam device A being of the ordinary type as at present employed for producing unlocked stitches, and the other cam device B producing the tied stitches. The direction of traverse of the needles is indicated by the arrow X and the cams A, B are so installed that the needles first traverse the ordinary knitting cam A to produce unlocked or tying stitches and subsequently traverse the cam B for producing the locked or tied stitches, it being, of course, understood that there is a separate thread feed in connection with each cam device, said feed being indicated at 5 and 6. It

will be seen that the cam device B functions to raise or project the needles to a greater extentthan the cam device A so that the newly fed thread from the feeder 6 is laid upon the needles beneath the flexible latches 2 as before described.

In a circular machine individual presser members 4 (Figures 1 to 5) are advantageously provided in connection with each flexible latch needle, the upper or latchengaging part of each member 4 being normally spaced laterally from the needle and being maintained in such position by a coiled spring ring 7 or equivalent means encircling the series of pressers.

When the needle is traversing the locked stitch cam B and is being lowered or retracted by said cam after receiving the newly fed thread I), the presser member 4 is engaged by a presser-operating slidable cam member 8 (Figures 2, 6 and 7,) which member pushes the presser 4 on to the needle latch 2 against the influence of the spring band or other means 7 thereby pressing said latch on to the needle shank and permitting the old loop a to pass over the pressed latch into the needle hook.

Means may be incorporated for rendering inoperative the latch pressing means as and when required, and one method of accomplishing this is illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 as applied to a circular machine. In this arrangement the presser-operating cam 8 is radially slidable within fixed guides 9 and has at its outer end or part a slot 10 within which operates the upper bevelled or inclined portion 11a of a vertically slidable and guided rod or bar 11 carrying at its lower extremity a truck 12 coacting with a chain, cam

drum or equivalent member 13. The upper inclined or bevelled portion 11a of the bar 11 may operate between rollers 14 on the sliding cam 8.

Normally the presser cam 8 is maintained operative, i. e. with its cam face So in the path of the presser members 4. When, however, the production of locked or tied stitches is to be discontinued, say for example in the production of the heel and toe portions of a stocking or the like, a high link, cam projection or the like on the chain or member 13 operates on the bar 11 to lift same and in doing so the upper inclined or bevelled portion 110; of the bar efiects a withdrawal of the presser cam 8 so as to bring the face 8a out of the path of the presser members 4.

In a modified method of carrying out the invention (see Figures 8 to 11 of the accompanying drawings) the needle 1 is provided with a pivoted flexible. Preferably this rigid latch is provided at or adjacent to its pivot with a small lateral projection or cranked portion 20.

That part of the latch having the cranked portion 20 is preferably fiattened'so as to latch 27) which is rigid or ini have a free pivotal movement within a sawcut 15 provided in the needle shank 1, the remaining'portion of the latch being advanta-' geously of rounded cross section.

The part 1?) of the needle shank which accommodates the latch pivot and is provided with the aforesaid saw-cut 15 is of increased width, as is-customary in a latch needle, and spaced a suitable distance below said pivotaccommodating part 1?) the needle shank is formed with a second portion 10 of increased widtlnsaid latter portion being provided with a saw-cut or recess 16 within which, when the latch 26 is in the fully open or lowered position, the latch tip is freely accommodated. Forthis purpose the latch tip is preferably formed with a comparatively elongated point 2d which will move freely into and out of the saw-cut 16 provided therefor.

Preferably also a cup or recessed portion 26 is formed on the latch adjacent to its pointed extremity 2d, said cup 26, when the latch is in the raised or closed position, accommodating the extremity of the needle hook 3, which extremity is preferably brought to a comparatively sharp point so as to be well buried in the cup of the latch. When the latch is fully opened or lowered the cup 26 adjacent to its pointed tip 2d constitutes an abutment serving to prevent said pointed tip from projecting too far into or becoming wedged within the saw-cut 16 in the shank.

Advantageously, the latch 26 is slightly curved in its length, and the front face of the needle shank, i. e. that face on which the hook and latch are provided, is also curved or concave between the two wider portions 12), 1c of said shank. In this way a substantially ellipitical space 17 is provided between the latch 26 and the needle shank when the latch is fully opened, which space will freely accommodate a thread or threads and prevent same being nipped by the latch.

In the production of an ordinary knitted stitch by a needle as last described, the needle is raised to clear an existing loop a beneath the latch 26 and new thread 6 is fed into the hook 3. When making such stitch, the tip of the lowered or opened latch is spaced from the needle shank so that, as the needle is lowered or retracted, the existing loop a will pass beneath the latch and, during the lowering or retracting movement of the needle, close said latch upon the needle hook and be cast off, a loop of the new thread 6 meanwhile being drawn through the cast off loop in the customary manner.

To make a locked or tied stitch, the needle is raised or projected to a greater height or distance than is the case when producing an ordinary knitted stitch, the lowered or open latch is moved into a position wherein its tip is spaced from the needle shank and the new thread I) is fed in between said lowered latch and the shank, i. e. into the aforesaid substantially elliptical space 17.

In Figure 8 a. needle is shown fully or al- I most fully raised or projected with the old loop a cleared below the latch and new thread as in Figure 10. During this part of the mopressed by a suitable presser j tion a loop of the new thread 6 is drawn through the old loop a, and on the continued downward motion said loop of newthread functions to raise the latch 26 to the closed position on the needle hook 3 and passes over said closed latch to be cast off the needle to the position shown in Figure 11. Thus it will be appreciated that the loop of new thread instead of as in the case of an ordinary stitch being retained upon the needle, is cast ofi and the old loop is still retained on the needle, said new loop being drawn through and also passed around said existing loop and becoming tied thereon, as before-described with reference to the needle having afieXible or.

resilient latch.

The displacement of the fully open latch 25 to a second open position wherein its tip 7 clear of the needle shank for permitting the thread 5 to pass into the space 17, can be. positlvely effected at the required times by causing a cam element 18 or other suitable means to coact with the laterally projecting or cranked portion 20 of the latch adjacent to its pivot. It is, however, to be understood that other means may be provided for ensuring that the tip of the open latch is spaced from the needle shank wh n required.

The pointed tip 261 of the latch may, if desired, latch is in the raised or closed position with the extremity of the hook buried in the cup 20, said curved tip 2d coincides approximately with the curvature of the needle hook 3.

be slightly curved so that when the' Preferably, the circumferential dimension of the needle at the hook 3 when the latch 25 is closed thereon is somewhat greater than the circumferential dimension of the needle shank atv 1b, the circumferential dimension at 15 being also preferably slightly greater than that at the part 10 when the latch is fully loweredor opened.

It is to be understood that when plain or ordinary knitted fabric is to be produced without locked or tied stitches, the needle cam mechanism appertaining to said locked or tied stitches is thrown out of operation; and in the case of a. circular knitting machine thismay be efiected by mounting the locked stitch cam device B in a removable or ously moved into and out of operation displaceable manner and associating 'means for automatically moving said cam device into and out of operation at the required times. The thread. feed 6 associated with the locked stitch cam device B is also advantae i as to permit of thread being fed or drawn between the latch and shank, and a second open position wherein said end or tip coacts with said shank.

2.. A needle applicable for producing knitted fabrics, comprising a shank, a hook on said shank, a latch pivoted to said shank, said latch having two open positions, one wherein the tip of the latch is spaced from the shank to permit of thread being fed or drawn between the open latch and shank, and second open position wherein the latch tip coacts with the shank and provides an enclosed space between the latch and shank adapted freely to accommodate the thread fed or drawn therein.

3. A knittin needle com orisin a shank a hooked extremity to said shank, a latch pivot ed to said shank, said latch being flexible or resilient and adapted to be pressed against its own resilience from the normal open position wherein the latch tip is spaced from the needle shank to a second. open position wherein said tip coacts with a recess in said shank.

4. A knitting needle comprising a shank, a hooked extremity to said shank, a rigid or inflexible pivoted latch, said latch when fully open coacting at its tip with a recess in the shank and providing an enclosed space between latch and shank for freely accommodating thread, and said latch being pivot-ally displaced to permit of thread being fed or passed thereunder by applying pressure to a part of the latch adjacent to its pivot.

5. A knitting needle comprising a shank, a hooked extremity to the shank, a latch pivoted to said shank, the shank having two portions of increased width or circumferential size spaced one below the other, a. saw-cut in the uppermost of said wider shank portions accommodating that part of the latch adjacent to the pivot, asaw-cut or recess in the lower of the two wider shank portions adapted freely to accommodate the tip of the latch when said latch is in the lowered or fully open position, a laterally pro3ect1ng port1on on the latch adjacent to the pivot, said laterallyprojecting portion being adapted when the latch is in thefully open or lowered position to project beyond the inner face of the needle shank, and said laterally projecting portion being operated upon at predetermin d times so as pivotally to displace the latch to a position wherein the latch tip is spaced from the needle shank so asto permit of thread being fed or drawn into a space between said latch and the needle, shank.

6. A -needle as claimed in claim 5 for producingknittec fabric, in combination with means for pressing the latch into the fully open position with its tip coacting with a rece s ' needle as claimed in claim 2 in comin the needle shank subsequently to movbination with means for feeding thread at predetermined times below the open latch and passing same between said latch and .the needie sha means for pressing the latch over old thread loop on the needle over said pressed latch and the thread retained thereunder 1nto hook nd means for, subse uentl e pressure from the latch and pertioning to produce knitted fabric by the following sequential operations, in combina- -"-c-n with cam means constructed to (1) prothe n-edle toan extent sufficient to perfe ding of thread within the needle hook )1 oduce an ordinary knitted stitch, (2) project the needle to a comparatively greatextent to cause thread to be fed 0r drawn between an open needle latch and the needle shank, pressing the open latch to cause olr thread loop to be drawn over said 'essed open latch lnto the needle hook, and renc'iering said latch-pressing means 1nerative and causing a loop of new thread to be passed or? the needle over the old thread l and become locked or tied thereon.

ROBERT KIRKLAND MILLS.

o engagement with the shank, iii-cans o era mg the needle so as to pass an thread loop retained thereunder i 

